03/21/02 Meatout Day

Animal Friends is focusing on this opportunity for the next action. Again at noon, in the very centre of Zagreb, in front of its oldest and most picturesque market place known as Dolac our activists will distribute pamphlets depicting some of the cruelties billions of animals are put through to end as meat in a market place.

At the beginning of spring, symbol of a new life cycle in nature Meatout Day is globally marked by people aware of major negative consequences of eating so much meat, both to animal welfare including their rights and the sake of environment. The main issue is to try to make people think of a hidden side of their lifestyle which is far from being nice or naturally justified. Unfortunately it involves very aggressive behavior and lacks any ethics. Being vegetarian is a better alternative. There are so many reasons speaking up in favor of plant based food consisting of fruits, whole grains, vegetables, legumes i.e. beans, green peas, lentils, soy beans etc.

March 23 is the day when many organizations and associations raise their voices in order to persuade people to choose a better future for themselves, their children, the whole planet and all its living creatures including billions of animals and birds raised, tortured and slaughtered just for gustatory purposes. We, Animal Friends of Croatia join this global movement mentioning here some of the reasons that could change your attitude and make you a prospective vegetarian.

FOR YOUR OWN BENEFIT

You should be warned that most frequent deadly diseases that plague the West, such as heart disease, stroke, certain types of cancer, diabetes, arthery clogging high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and many others are all linked with animal protein and fat in standard meat-centered diet. Three million of "carnivores" die prematurely struck by these illnesses every year. Hundreds of studies have been done and they all confirm that. Make up your mind on time and try something new - prepare yourself a vegetarian meal. Such a healthful meal rich in energy will be cheaper than "usual" one.

FOR THE SAKE OF YOUR CHILDREN'S FUTURE

In addition to increasing their chance to live longer, you will make them happier for they will be less troubled by disrupted ecosystems, contaminated water, and total desertification caused either by severe climate changes or lack of water.

TO AVOID STARVATION

A typical carnivore person is taking about four times as much protein as needed. Everyone can live better either with much less meat or no meat at all. Leaving meat out of your table will be your small contribution to a better distribution of grain harvest. Grains to be produced will not be used in raising billions of animals but distributed to human populations. 60 kg of grain is needed to produce a mere 1 kg of meat. The area of 5 football grounds is needed to produce enough meat that 2 carnivores "need" every year. The same amount of land is needed to satisfy the following numbers of vegetarians - with corn 20, with grains 24 and with soy even 61 vegetarians. The differences are obvious and they become even more loud if you have in mind desertification of great areas which has already started.

FOR THE PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES

You should know that meat production takes abundance and then reduces it to scarcity. Did you know that meat production covering needs of an average carnivore family with two children consumes as much energy as needed for their transportation during a period of 6 months. What about all other indispensable resources depending on delicate ecosystems?

FOR THE QUALITY OF AIR

The fumes, emitted from the farms and stalls are in today's quantities, mostly amonium carbonate not to mention bacteria and viruses they carry, more harmful than all industrial pollutants and vehicles together.

FOR THE PURITY OF WATER

10,000 liters of water are needed to produce either a mere 1 kg of meat, 100 kg of grains or cover an average family's consumption per year. 50% of all chemically contaminated waters in Europe has been caused by cattle producers. 50% of global water consumption goes to mass animal breeding and meat processing industry!

FOR THE PROTECTION OF FORESTS

Since 1970 more than 20 million hectares of land covered by rain forests have been turned into pastures which endangered local population and caused destruction or rooting out for million of animals and vegetation species in these regions. One third of Earth surface is already used as pastures. In 40 years from now rain forests will cease to exist. Mass cattle breeding is blamed for 85% of all ammonium-carbonate emission in the world which is considered the main cause of forests dying.

FOR THE PROTECTION OF EARTH

By leaving meat out of your diet you decide to take active part in protecting fertility of soil, health of forests, purity of waters and climate conditions not threatened by ozone depletion or global heating symptoms. Each of you becoming vegetarian provides a direct help in assuring life for all living creatures on Earth including human population for unlimited period of time.

FOR ANIMAL WELFARE

Billions of animals have come to this world genetically engineered, chemically incited to grow faster then you can imagine to the point they reach perfect fat-to-lean ratio to be finally slaughtered at minimum costs. Again because of the costs, all of them, cattle, pigs, birds, live in crowded dirty cages, branded, mutilated, castrated, boar-bashed, debeaked, drugged... And this is only a mere top of an iceberg. Don't you feel you should do something to put an end to it? Start with vegetarian meals as of today! Such meals will provide you with substantial quantity of proteins, vitamins, carbohydrates, minerals and fibres and taste deliciously at the same time.

WISH THE BEST FOR YOURSELF, YOUR BELOVED ONES AND THE REST OF THE WORLD. AVOID MEAT - BECOME VEGETARIAN!

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Animal Friends is a non-profit, non-governmental organization, founded in 2001 with the aim to promote animal protection and animal rights as well as veganism, as ethical, ecological and healthy lifestyle.
Animal Friends Croatia is a member organization of EVU,
Eurogroup for Animals, ECEAE, FFA, IAFC and OIPA.